Moliere

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (15 January 1622-17 February 1673), known by his stage name Moliere, was a French playwright, actor, and poet whose notable works include Tartuffe, The Misanthrope, The Learned Women, The School for Wives, and L'Avare.

Biography
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin was born in Paris, France in 1622 to a prosperous family, and he worked as an actor for thirteen years before writing his own plays, influenced by both Italian Commedia dell'arte and the more refined French comedy. Through patronage of aristocrats such as Philippe I, Duke of Orleans, the brother of Louis XIV of France, "Moliere" was given grand venues for his performances. The royal favor brought a royal pension to his troupe and the title "The King's Troupe", and he became the official author of court entertainments. Despite his popularity among the court and Parisians, his satires attracted criticism from the Catholic Church, especially against Tartuffe for its critique of religious hypocrisy. By 1667, poor health forced him to take a break from the stage, and he died from a tuberculosis-caused coughing fit and hemorrhage while performing a production of his final play, The Imaginary Invalid, onstage in Paris.